You’re Looking Lucky Tonight

Are The SoapGirls helping or hurting the feminist movement happening in music right now? That’s the question that was floating around my head as I drove to The Green Room on Wednesday night, among other things. All I knew about The Soap Girls was what I had heard and seen online. This South African-based duo definitely has some devoted fans, but those calling them out for bringing shame to the feminist movement seem to outnumber the supporters. I’m not the type to just give in to what other people say. I want to see things for myself and make my own judgment, so as I anxiously awaited them to take the stage, I tried my best to clear my head of all the things I’ve read online.

The audience was light at The Green Room, which is such a shame, as this show was the kick-off for The SoapGirls’ United States tour, which will take them across the country over the next month and a half. It broke my heart to see how few people were in attendance, but I loved the fact that everyone who had shown up seemed genuinely excited to see this act. After about half an hour of waiting past when the show was slated to start, I got my first glimpse of this duo and the drummer who was joining them on this run. Noemie (“Mie”) and Camille (“Mille”) looked absolutely gorgeous in their little outfits highlighted by gold pieces that shone in the swirling lights. I’ll admit, the clothing was minimal at best (and didn’t stay on long, which is part of this group’s schtick, but more on that later), but that being said, they looked adorable, and the primarily male-based audience made complete sense.

The SoapGirls wasted no time and started charging through a lengthy set that would end up lasting nearly two hours (which explains why an opening act was not needed, although I can’t help but wonder if having a local opener would have helped with the draw). At first, the music felt rough around the edges, as if it was taking the trio a bit longer to find their footing on this foreign stage than planned. That being said, it was definitely not what I was expecting– perfectly curated pop-punk leaning tones with a bit of a surly energy behind them, but, overall, super accessible and, dare I say, even pop feeling at times. I was thinking that this was going to be a bit grittier and a bit more Riot Grrrl-esque, but I quickly realized that that was an assumption and a sexist one at that, which I am far from proud of. Once the band found their footing, their music found a place in my heart. It was fun and infectious and although there were many times throughout the set where it felt as if something had gone array if only ever so slightly to throw the sound off just enough to make me notice, I feel like The SoapGirls really hit their stride just a couple of songs in and ended up treating the audience to a next-to-perfect set.

Although I liked the music I was hearing, that’s not what had me head over heels in love with The SoapGirls– it was their message. At the beginning of the set, anytime they would take a break, one of the sisters would spend some time talking about how they are the outcasts and that’s who their music is made for. They talked about how hard it is to just be yourself in this society, but at the end of the day, yourself is all you have, so you have to stay true to it. It’s a tale as old as time and one that is repeated time and time again at shows, but there was something different about the words chosen by Mie and Mille. They were honest and real, much like their music, but they were also full of fire. You could feel that this band has been through hell and back (feel free to read up on them because them talking about signing to a major label and that label pushing them to become a pop band is an eye-opening statement on the music industry) and, clearly, they wanted to make it known that they are only where they are today because they stuck to their guns and stayed true to themselves.

The SoapGirls’ message of self-love and acceptance continued throughout the set and took a sharp right turn at body positivity. About halfway through the set, the sisters started talking about how every body is beautiful. Again, a bit cliche, but these two women put their money where their mouths were. Mie took her top off, and Mille ripped off one of the pasties that she still had on after her top came off previously in the show. The two urged people in the audience to follow suit, but only if they were comfortable with it. I only saw two guys take the dare, but there was something about the honesty and almost hippie-like mentality that I really liked. I get where this could have been uncomfortable for some, but Mie and Mille were quick to tell the audience that, if anyone was feeling uneasy, just say something, and clothes would be put back on. On top of that, if anyone decided to go for it and take their shirt off but got touched inappropriately, the band said they would stop everything immediately and make sure that the situation was taken care of. As one of the two sisters mentioned, it’s pretty unfair that their drummer had been topless for the majority of the set with his pierced nipples out for all to see, and nobody cares, but the second these two women want to do the same, it’s blasphemy. Don’t get me wrong, I prefer clothes over no clothes, but I think just the double standard that is put on women is insane, and I loved the fact that The SoapGirls are using their platform to bring attention to this. At the end of the day, their clothing or lack thereof did nothing to enhance or detract from their music.

Is this where the controversy surrounding this group comes from? Is it because they aren’t afraid to get naked on stage? Have the people complaining about this band even seen a full performance and heard the context behind it all? Have they even met Mie and Mille, who seemed like some of the genuinely nicest and kindest women on the planet? Have they even heard the music of The SoapGirls (which I’m pretty sure is impossible to hate because it has such an infectious energy behind it)?

Much like The SoapGirls preached throughout their set, it’s okay to be yourself. It’s okay to do what you want and like what you want. I, for one, really like The SoapGirls, and I genuinely don’t care if you think I’m a terrible human for that or if you feel I have questionable music taste (which, honestly, I do, but that’s a whole other story). I ended up having a great time on Wednesday night and wish this band the best as they tour around the country spreading their positive message and great sound.